Agmatine modulates calcium handling in cardiomyocytes of hibernating ground squirrels through calcium-sensing receptor signaling

True hibernators are remarkable group of mammals whose hearts are resistant to such stressors as deep hypothermia, ischemia, arrhythmia. Capability of cardiac cells from hibernating species to effectively rule Ca2+ homeostasis during torpor is poorly studied. Better understanding of these mechanisms could allow to introduce new strategies for improvement the cardiac performance and may be useful for cardiovascular medicine. Here for the first time we have shown that the regulation of Ca2+ handling and thereby cardiomyocyte contractility by endogenous neurotransmitter agmatine occurs through the modulation of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR). In isolated cardiocytes of hibernating ground squirrels generating stationary Ca2+ transients in the absence of actual myocellular excitation, low doses of this polyamine (up to 500 mu M) induce the G(beta gamma)-dependent activation of PI3-kinase with subsequent stimulation of Akt-kinase and nitric oxide (NO) production by endothelial NO-synthase (eNOS). NO production abolishes Ca2+ oscillations in virtue of the enhancement of Ca2+ reuptake by sarco (endo)plasmic Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA). Simultaneously, the activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA 2 ) and arachidonic-acid dependent Ca2+ entry occur providing replenishment of Ca2+ store. High concentrations of agmatine ( > 2 mM) induce other CaSR-mediated pathways involving phospholipase C (PLC) pathway, the formation of inositoltriphosphate (IP3) and diacylglicerol (DAG) followed by induction of their targets: IP3 receptors and protein kinase C isoforms (PKC), respectively. Furthermore, it is also responsible for the stimulation of PLA(2) and elevation of intracellular calcium caused by arachidonic acid-regulated Ca2+-permeable (ARC) channels. Additionally, there is a potent store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOC) in cardiomyocyte. Negative (NPS 2143) and positive (R 568) allosteric modulators of CaSR recapitulate effects of low and high agmatine doses on Ca2+ handling and NO synthesis. These facts and the alteration of agmatine influence in response to an increase of extracellular Ca2+, which is the direct agonist of CaSR, may confirm the participation of CaSR in regulation of Ca2+ handling and excitability of cardiomyocytes by agmatine.